


infinite

by rain_at_dawn



Series: stars, scattered [1]
Category: SHINee
Genre: Band Fic, M/M, Surprise Kissing, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22350604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rain_at_dawn/pseuds/rain_at_dawn
Summary: And I follow blindly.
Relationships: Kim Kibum | Key/Lee Taemin
Series: stars, scattered [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608877
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26





	infinite

**Author's Note:**

> prompted by @xiaozhanstudios on Twitter
> 
> song inspo: [infinite by silverstein](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inIwSPKs0WM)

The lead singer’s voice cracks over the highest note in the bridge. Taemin’s heart nearly gives way with it, until the dude shakes the hair from his eyes and then:

He has no idea what the words are supposed to be, except that he feels them, bearing down on his chest and spiking into his flesh. His ribs expand with his lungs as he follows the roar ripping through the small, frenetic crowd that had gathered for the concert.

“Yeah!” Kibum shrieks, right next to him, and Taemin notices the hint of delirium that only comes with highs like this. Highs only a singer would know, even if they were just part of the audience for tonight. He thinks Kibum says something else after the ‘Yeah!’, but it’s lost to the bass now, and maybe neither of them could care less about it.

Taemin’s never been to a metalcore concert before. This was the whole point of tonight; to shed this shameful virginity against a soundscape of sonic guitar solos and the blast of drums. That was what the reviews of this band’s previous sets had said; at least the ones Kibum had shown him, phone-screen thrust into Taemin’s face so that there was no ignoring it.

Taemin’s also never scalped tickets before, which Kibum had rolled his eyes over and assured him that while no, this wasn’t entirely legal, the experience would be totally worth it, let alone the ridiculous price.

Taemin looks at Kibum, looks at him while the overhead lights in the cramped club venue light up his smile, dimples pinpricked in the apples of his cheeks, and thinks that yes, it has been – still is – worth it. Worth everything in the world he’d had to overcome to get to SM, to SHINee, to Key hyung, to Kim Kibum’s sweaty hand entwined in his as they reach the arc of the chorus.

The lights go out as the song slows down to a more even rhythm. As the darkness overtakes them too, Taemin holds on tighter to Kibum, his fingers still quivering at the thought of having to let go. Kibum knows all the words to this song; Taemin feels lost.

The singer’s tone drops to a whisper when the fans begin to sing along. Amidst the layers and layers of voices that surround them, Taemin wonders if he’d be swallowed up if Kibum released his hand. He closes his eyes, searching for the lyrics, ears straining as his heart kept its pace, hummingbird-quick, just as fragile.

He almost doesn’t feel Kibum shift around him; Taemin hears his own sharp intake of breath as Kibum’s hands wind around his waist, his chin coming to rest on his shoulder.

“Too good to be true, huh?” Kibum sounds wry in his ear, but it’s a few octaves below something sharper, something meant to pierce Taemin. “Reminds me of church in a way.”

“Huh?” Taemin murmurs, then wishes he hadn’t. 

He waits for Kibum to say anything else; if he suddenly broke into spontaneous prayer, Taemin would even welcome that. Anything, just to make everything make sense.

After all, Kibum didn’t have to bring him here, pay for his ticket, sling his arm around him to keep him from getting sucked into the mobs of people during a collective headbang or crowd surf. He could have asked Jonghyun hyung out instead, or Woohyun hyung, or any of the other hyungs or noonas who gravitated towards Kibum, as if he were magnetized.

Kibum doesn’t have to lead him on this way and Taemin isn’t sure if he’s just another body that’s unfortunate enough to land in the orbit of his embrace. He’s almost certain that there’s a better boy out there for this, or even worse, a man that’s already brushed past the space Kibum keeps to himself. Above them, the lights burn red.

“It really does feel like living now, does it?” Kibum continues, leaving no room for Taemin to disagree with the heat that rises up the side of his neck as Kibum breathes into it. “You felt that, did you?”

Taemin turns his head to look at Kibum again, mentally grasping for the right answer as the rest of his mind shreds itself trying to find it in his eyes.

The lights go out and everything’s black.

Taemin anxiously makes a grab for Kibum’s hand, having felt its loss in his. In those few seconds of flailing, he gets it. The revelation has his heart in a chokehold, and it beats, and it beats, and it beats only for Kibum.

He reaches out, fueled by desperation. Bodies surround him; but it’s just the one that feels like home, what he’s been searching for long before this evening began, that matters. It’s almost time for the band to segue into the next song; Kibum wouldn’t want to miss it.

When the lights turn on once again, it’s slow and gradual. Kibum is right there, close enough to touch, eyes locked on him. Taemin feels disarmed, but not afraid anymore. He leans up and allows their lips to brush, taking in a whiff of Kibum’s cologne and the sweat on his collar. Kibum turns, Taemin twists, and they fit perfectly.

The crowd erupts into cheers, ignoring them.

When Taemin sinks down from tiptoeing, back onto the soles of his feet, he wonders if he’s forgotten something, like, maybe the rest of his mind as it keeps spinning. Kibum has one hand stroking his cheek and the other sliding up his arm. Taemin’s been hoping he wouldn’t need words for this, but there’s enough persuasion in Kibum’s fond gaze to demand it.

“Sleep over at my place tonight, hyung,” comes spilling out of Taemin’s mouth and he can already tell by the familiar twitch in Kibum’s lips that he’s earned a ‘tsk’.

“I’ll oblige you this time.”

He leans close to whisper into Taemin’s mouth. “I’m taking you to a rave tomorrow.”

Taemin opens up. He can’t wait for it. 


End file.
